Last Shift

By Matthew Kenneth Baker

Boys will be boys but these boys shift into big trouble , the old men are
not best pleased. While coming under fire from unknown foes , they learn , their home may have to face an army, and its not the only army , never rains but it pours .What ever occurs time will tell in the end .

I have tried in these tales to give the old Mythological monsters a new lease of life give them a genealogy , a genetic identity. And write a science fiction story that is fun , but also just a little scary , and maybe a little more respect
for bad old men . Because I bloody say so . Yours faithfully MK Baker

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Oct 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499091243

Matthew Kenneth Baker

Matthew Baker is a father , a veteran , an EX Para , and former postman and is trained in many and strange ways , not least as a ceramic artist and sculptor . He lives in North Wales UK , where he walks his Siberian Husky and tries to stay out of trouble , mostly .

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Matthew Kenneth Baker.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/23/2014

Xlibris

0-800-056-3182

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

697267

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Epilogue

CHAPTER ONE

T his was not the Giants Primary Eight, but it was pleasant enough, it was a scientific outpost with a small barracks. She looked out of her balcony on a calm sea, the base took up one corner of a high craggy Island, with deep rich golden beaches. Everything around her lent to the perspective, that she had allays been the tallest in her year at her school. She had been Captain of the netball team and the Hockey, she had even tried out for the national netball squad. Here she was treated with polite amusement, as if she were a child let in on adult meetings. Naturally every room was over three meters to the ceilings, the beds were huge, the cups and plates just everything made her world, feel as though she were on some theme park amusement. It had taken a while to arrange but their was some guilt on the Giants part, for what their Rogue elements in the Military police had done, and more so because, they could not grasp how some of their best Shifting Rangers had been wiped out by these tiny people.

She had been welcomed by the Interpreter, and they had developed a genuine accord, almost a friendship. Her partner on this trip had to be a logical choice, but had worked out rather well Saul Dubroveny, was a researcher, Hi IQ, and at least fifteen centimeters taller than her. Still short if not adolescent sized compared with the Giants but he had an up beat, easy going personality that endeared him to those around him. He seemed less affected by being suddenly cast as short.

She had struggled, but had also gained some insight into how intimidating height could be.

She would try to remember the next time she loomed over some hapless student. Harry bless him had engendered more public confidence in her, and she was still referred to in town as, that actress Queen.

She shook her head at the reminiscence, remembering her racy, if not almost negligible costume. Their was a brief tap on the door. She let Soul in, he looked tired, last day, he had been drinking the local brew, and looked a little pale this morning.

Soul grinned, the singing is bad, its given me a bit of a headache.

I don’t think you can entirely blame the singing.

Yes." he said gently shaking his head, they do like to drink. How are we on inter species relationships.

Why? She asked.

Well I woke up with that little photographer. (little being in relation)

I hopped we would avoid getting to cosy," she said, seriously.

She remembered the photographer. Yes she did seem small for a Giant, even looked a little different, paler skinned.

Perhaps you were an experiment," she said. Strait faced.

Soul laughed, yes I feel a bit scrutinized. Its strange, he said. I like them, those I have met, they seem less, aggressive somehow".

Yes said Pippa." I get that, they seem better at communicating, than I think we would be.

But I want that in a full report, every detail on my desk soon as you can". She demanded Soul, mumbled something under his breath and added he was packed and ready to leave.

Pippa concurred, she was ready now. They said goodbye in the science office, small gifts were given, but they would not except any in return, next time they said, it is not done to give gifts on leaving.

She was crushed a little in the interpreters parting embrace. They shifted according to the Giants instructions, as they would normally by focusing on their Eights. She was proud of the work she and her team had done, on reproducing the shifter machines. They worked, but they were not sure how they took mass out of the trip yet, but still they made large shifts easier and safer. It still took several minutes, it was long way, even to their first known point off reference. But it gave her time to think, perhaps they could trust the Giants, it was a difficult decision, one she regretted would have to go past the Dhoones. Eight was quite good, but Four argued for caution. She smelt something burning her, Shifter was giving of acrid fumes. She cast about mentally calling Saul with a warning, and casting about for a reference, anywhere, she coughed, and felt a little sick. Wait, she snatched at something some sense of place, and came out of shift, throwing the burning device from her, she was moving fast maybe to fast, the ground came up, she remembered her training in the last moment, drawing herself together, and rolling on landing. Something hit her like a wall, her course was altered by blast, she felt its searing heat, then smacked into Terra, somewhere.

CHAPTER TWO

R ace you dad, the fourteen year old bounced, he was so full of energy, it was hard to believe he had just passed all his, GCSE’s and was well into several A levels, well ahead of the norm.

Richard Dhoone began to limp a little gesturing his son to slow down the boy looked concerned until the old man made a sudden sprint for the gate. The boy still got to the gate before his father but not by much.

Cheater." he said.

His father grinned, out of puff. By the time they reached the front door they were both breathing almost normally. Richard senior, was pleased, no pain, and a quick recovery, his left knee throbbed a little, but he could live with that. Time he took that medical, Pippa had insisted no one could go into the field, without a preflight check as the boys called it.

He tried to remember how it used to be when they just went filming, just to make enough money to live. It was hard to recollect. Today was special, sixty five years young, he had very mixed feelings. The wound had not kept him in the Hospital long but it was a long time before he felt confident moving around, swimming had helped. The bolt the giants weapon fired had hit his stomach obliquely missing his spine as it passed through, fortunately he had been so close to the dangerous end, that the tiny warhead had not exploded inside him, but passed right through. Clever buggers the Giants. They had died hard, shot to death and ripped apart. He shuddered at the memory feeling a darkness inside him, a shadow on his dented soul.

All right Dad said the ebullient boy beside him. The look of concern, was one that the Father had seen far to often for comfort. He patted his sons shoulder.

I’m concerned your slowing down a bit to give me a better chance.

No chance, the boy grinned. They walked into the long Georgian hall.

He heard Clio, call. Were in the Garden.

Richard slowed to remove his Jacket. They walked through. And out through the Kitchen.

Surprise, a wave of sound, garden full. He stood alone for a second, not sure how to react. He did not like crowds much. They had put up a High fence and topped it with a porous gardening mesh, it looked fairly normal, not to unusual anyway, they were not overlooked here. The garden party clapping died away abruptly as those gathered, shifted out. Young Richard grinned and was gone, in moments only his wife stood their. She looked a little guilty, but beamed.

I see." I said. So much for no fuss, but I like this, just you and me in the Garden. Oh she said, we have company.

I didn’t need to hear the beat of the big wings. I knew we were of to P8. It was the only way I could be with all my brother selves, the only way the Dierdra’s could be together. The only way my very un-shifter and lovely wife could join us.

Cloud Cover landed gently and came over to be stroked, she wore a full harness, where Light Rain was, I did not know ? My wife climbed aboard, I checked the straps. Cloud cover gave me a shiny thing and an image of digging.

The diamond was as big as my thumb. Uncut but polished it looked, natural. Not the splendid thing it could be made to be, it was a lovely gift. I sent positive images. High up, gliding, prey below.

I stroked her fur gently and hummed.

Must be worth a fortune, I put the stone in my pocket and prepared for travel. Cloud Cover, bunched and jumped beating down with her great wings, and was gone. She was getting really good. I saw my wife pale she lifted lift a hand, before she was gone, flight sick every time.

I stood alone, Sixty five, never saw this coming, it seemed so old, but in many ways I really felt no different, only the old guy in the mirror, reminded me. That and the slow healing. I went back into the house, put the kettle on, I thought I would have a cup of tea, before I joined the others.

I would probably get told off, but what the hell its mine- our birthday. Hell I best go, I took a few sips maybe I would not be noticed for a minute I thought. Not like me to be indecisive, even when I burnt that old sofa, and set fire to the fence and the tree burned. I smiled at the memory, Clio shouting at me, should she call the fire brigade. No I shouted its all good, even as the pine cones exploded.

I shifted to P3. All quite in P3, I pulled the ears of one of the ugly pigs, they were really quite sweet in a slobbery way. I shifted on, cringing a bit. I really don’t like a fuss, at least it would be shared between seven of us, I wondered if their would be food?

I arrived and skidded to a stop.

Yes, very funny, there was a big banner, Happy birthday boys. Their was food, a table covered in food, Pies, Love pies. Nobody, here.

Come on people its funny once"! I shouted.

My voice seemed to echo over the hill, and out into the purple landscape. The hairs on the back off my neck, itched, I could smell?

A brief flurry of deep wing beats, I turned to see Cloud Cover with her distinctive scared left wing touch down.

So, where’s that son of mine?

I helped Clio out of her harness, she was pale as a ghost.

I put her down gently, CC was sending me jumbled images.

The Giants took them, all everyone." she said, they shot at us, they have Richie, her knees gave way and she started to sob.

I looked around quickly. I must have missed it by seconds.

I got Clio out of the sun and gave her some apple juice.

She was still pale, but she quietly told me, what she saw. Cloud Cover stood by us, making a high pitched tone.

They had set up a Party for all us birthday boys, and all of us who could shift that were here, or at the research centre. They had been moving in stuff for days, then today Janet had got all the boys here.

I was the last.

Richie was late getting you back. Clio said. They were dying to get away. she sobbed as she took in her own words."

When we arrived here from the garden, they were here waiting around the walls. Big she stuttered.

How many I asked, I begun to feel fear deep in my stomach, but I had to be calm right now, had to do the right things quickly. Clio was hanging in their.

Um their were six with their long weapons, and three in a group, near the shack. Oh and I saw some more lower down, maybe ten or twelve altogether.

What happened next, I asked gently.

I was flying on Cloud Cover, she put her hand on the big Bats face. We banked around, she took us low, right to the ground. I could here them shooting. I thought they were killing everyone. CC hid us, they were scrambling down the hill, a tunnel snake tried to take one of them.

Did you see anything else on the hill.

Yes as we turned I saw they were putting rings over everyone.

Rings, What!

I could see her trying to remember.

Yes, like exercise rings, only they grew smaller, they held them, and they had lots of their shifter boxes.

Then in less than a minute, they winked out all of them, they were just gone.

So that’s why they didn’t, shift back, giant tech. The stuff they had, prevented anyone shifting out.

I wondered, maybe they had not seen Clio only Cloud Cover coming in. She is only small, compared to the width of an adult Cats back.

They have no reason to return I think, I said.

I need to get you somewhere safe.

No, she said. I go with you."

You can’t, you will slow me down, the shifters only work on people with our gift.

Some gift." she said bitterly. You better get, our son back and Harry and Janet.

I will, I need to get the boys."

Our squad, are trained soldiers, only in their late teens and early twenty’s but they were all Para’s.

OK she said. What can I do."

Try and remember, who was here, who’s gone. Philipa’s with the Giants, oh hell.

No she’s was due back today shes late. She and Soul were to be here.

Its not looking good, I thought.

Look I know it was all secret and stuff but did she give you any Knowledge of which way, and how far. I demanded.

Um, yes, south of one, three minutes. But that’s not very accurate you could be within half a dozen Eights.

Well its a start. I need to get home, then you need to get everyone with ability warned.

How ?

Oh, I looked at Cloud Cover she was a bit large and conspicuous for this work. Find someone anyone, and have them send, that should do it.

Oh the nurse at the hospital, Jaya, she could not get time off.

Good excellent.

I had to keep her busy and get out to the troops. I gave Cloud Cover my best imaging, I kept it simple.

Wings over the flightless, and guard.

She sent me back simply. Take off.

Before I went, I did a quick check around the hill top. I found one, charge case for their weapons and that was it, just a few scraps in the dust, a few boot prints.

A reflection caught my eye. I bent and picked up, a coin, beneath it was a tiny purse, more of a wallet really. I opened it up, Janet s. I could not think why she had dropped it, but it would have been for a reason.

Their was not much in it, a few credit cards, a Sainsbury’s voucher for petrol, wait, they were not all credit cards, two were key cards an Id and, a swipe card, with chip in it.

CC, and Clio had gone. I shifted to the lab re, entry room. Douglas and Bob, the security men were in the foyer. They took one look at the key and took me down in the lift. We hit car park level and one of the guys put a key in a small box in the telephone cupboard. It exposed one more button.

Down we went again. This was knew?

And down we kept going.(secret base anyone)

The lift doors opened to a dark concrete corridor, that ended in heavy steel and concrete door.

Whats this. I asked.

Oh, came with the building, its an old fallout shelter, they were quite common years ago ". Bob said matter of factually.

Well, Janet has her, not so little secrets.

We cant get in Bob, continued. needs a special key. He nodded at the one with the chip in it.

Yes, I lifted and swiped the card, I heard locks pop.

The boys turned and walked back to the lift, like it was a drill. Maybe it was, Janet always had a plan.

He said "if she didn’t come, Or her Ladyship, it would be you, and if it was you, we was to go to full lock down.

Got it, I said. Thanks?"

I laughed, her Ladyship would be pleased.

We are talking about, Pippa?

Hit the bell when you come back up. Bob said grinning. as they stepped into the lift.

The lift doors closed, on the old looking security team. They were veterans, of the Gulf war, good lads, but they could not shift. They would look after the place.

I opened the heavy door by pushing on a pressure plate, it was as wide as a bullion safe door.

Would have weighed a ton. Lighting came on automatically. A long tall corridor curved away and out of sight. It took only a few minutes to realize most of the place was empty, only two rooms, were modernized, one held two computers stacks, in a warm room, it felt sealed in airless. They hummed and blinked. The other led to a carpeted office with a small kitchen a fridge, an adjacent small bedroom and shower room.

This cannot be all, I thought she didn’t send me here for a nap and a coffee. I found a toilet cubicle,

Quite big, for a toilet, the wall next to the handbasin had a little glass wall cupboard, a little low I thought. I opened it, inside was another card reader. I heard locks click and a small door like a cupboard, in the left wall opened a fraction. I walked in. I knew that smell. Gun oil.

As the light came up, a long curved roofed corridor was exposed. Behind steel bars, were displayed in a simple racks, many weapons. Good Girl.

CHAPTER THREE

I t didn’t take me long to kit up. I stopped for moment. I felt suddenly empty, I feel like I’m bleeding, and if I breath too deep, if I let myself feel anything, I will be good for nothing. I so much wanted to go home. I wondered in that moment, if I had the fight left in me, or fear and the long years and wounds would slow me".

Bollocks." I heard myself say.

My Son was out their. My son was out their somewhere, and I could not afford the luxury. I nearly shifted, but I was not sure I could from so far underground, the lift had taken, at least a minute to get down here. In fact, now that I think of it this place looked not unlike the old tube station they called, Bank. Just be on the safe side, I called the lift. My reflection in the metalled walls was no Rambo, more Santa, gone postal.

I fixed a point, I had one of our copies of the shifter, so I was their in seconds. I had been here twice, once to help set up, once for a holiday. Once Pippa gave the place the OK, for Germs!

I landed on the beach, it was a warm day, sky almost yellow white, the walls to the Citadel ran straight out of the water, unworn by time, only weed growth gave away the shallow tide line.

The trees were like some baobabs I had seen in Hong Kong, but much bigger they towered over everything. The blue green cupolas on the round houses shone, like glazed ceramic, but it was much tougher material.

It was quite stunning, majestic even and, something was wrong here. The waters of palest blue held little charm as I followed the shadowed side of a wall up to one of the entrances.

I had decided carry the armalight. I know what your thinking, a bit light for hunting Giants, but I had it backed up with a laws rocket, grenades, plus a nine Millie and a bowie knife. My pack crammed with rations, and ammunition. My back was already feeling it.

I move into the shadow of a door that had blast damage, I slipped of the safety on the light rifle. So now what?

I slipped the Bowie knife out of its sheath, the blade was shiny enough, I put it around the door, and looked carefully at the reflected image. The large room was empty apart from, a dead Giant, their was a lot off blood smear. I angled the blade around their was a stair way or ramp up to a mezzanine level, I thought I caught a reflection from something, no movement.

I took a breath and eased in past the broken door. I ducked, long after the bullet took out plaster just over my head. I through myself backwards as I did shouting.

Is that you boss.

No I shouted its, Four, who fired.

Sir we need some help here, how many came ?

Just me for now." I said, the room was poorly lite, but seemed to brighten as I strolled in and took the stair.

Three of the boys were crammed onto a small balcony, one had rifle pointed out of a small oblong window, one lay wounded and very still, very pale. The lad I had spoken to looked sick and wide eyed, stressed out. I carefully moved his weapon away and put my weapons down. I pretended not to hear the boy sobbing, tears ran down his face, and he collapsed back, it was only then I could see he was shot. It was a messy wound, his right hip a bloody mess.

Okay," he indicated his friends, I checked the unconscious one, half his face was burned. Maybe concussion.

I asked the lad by the small window how he was doing. He was not moving, he never would. He had stayed at his post, he was hit at least twice.

I did what work I could with my med kit. I helped the lad down to the infirmary. Pippa had been here, it was well stocked. I got the lad onto a gurney bed and gave him a shot of morphia. I patted his shoulder and told him not to run off.

His eyes were going away, morphia is good stuff. I gave a shot to the burnt lad, he would hurt. I carried him down and made him comfortable as I could. I checked the window next, their was movement under one of the trees, much to brightly coloured.

I lay the dead boy down and took his SLR. It took me only a few moments to flank the tree, Sweat was pouring off me. It was a girl, she was mostly under a bush, only her red jeans, and white socks had made her easy to spot from above.

Miss, I called. She jumped and whimpered.

I stepped out of cover. Look, its alright. I have come to help, where are the Giants.

I think they went ?she said.

Are you Five. She asked, almost reasonably.

No Four. I said. She nodded. I thought you were shot.

Oh yes." I said. But that was nine months ago, I’m fine now. (thanks a bunch)

I need your help, some of the boys are injured, can you do first aid. She nodded. I am a med tech, she said.

!Good we have work to do." she didn’t look old enough to be a teck anything to me, she looked like a baby girl.

I got here into the building, she flinched away from the Giants corps. Once she saw her patients she shuddered but pulled herself together.

Look I said I have to do a sweep, just to be sure, but I will be back in a few minutes. Here. I said I gave her a walkies talkie. I picked up another from a charger on a bench, they were all set to channel three. I spoke briefly, and went out again. It took perhaps twenty minutes to look over the whole structure, it had a central building and lots of corridors to separate lodgings. No movement the canteen area was mess, over turned tables, food all over the floor. Little lizard things scurried of as I checked the place. In the kitchen a pan had boiled dry the gas flame had heated it a dull red.

I switched of the gas, missed them by minutes, that was twice and the last bloody time. I made a radio check with the girl, thankfully no more bodies. I gave the Giants body a serious search when I got back, he lay where he had fallen a neat hole in his head, a small pool of blood. I kicked his weapon away, he had a small pack which clipped two his uniform like it was molded to it. Ammunition, bottled liquid, what looked and smelled like a fish, paste. He carried a machete as long as my arm, and what could have been a medical kit, and some things that could have been explosives or small bottles of pop, It was hard to tell.

I didn’t like to touch stuff, I could not comprehend. He wore a shifter devise. I didn’t have time for this. Pippa had told me they could be programed, so maybe it was designed to go to a recce point. Risky, but I had not a clue where to start otherwise. I took it with me.

I checked on the girl she was called Patricia, she said. She talked rapidly, she had come to visit her boyfriend, with two other girls and her section head an older woman. They (her boyfriend and her) had been walking on the beach, and they were about to go in for lunch, and then their were Giants.

lots off them. She said, Corporal Bell, her boyfriend, ran under a wall, dragging her and made her crawl along the wall, and into the trees, he said to hide and he would find her after.

Did you see what happened next." I asked.

She nodded, and tears began to run down her face. They went into the canteen, their was shouting and, then the Giants came out, almost everyone was held on a long wire. They looked sick, everyone just stumbled along.

How many I asked. I slumped onto a tall stool, from where I could see out through the door, and the little windows. Um, Giants maybe twenty, all the lads I think. They had Bell too, he was like the others. She stopped for a moment.

How many were here," I said. More firmly than I intended.

OH, sorry, eight of the lad’s, and my friends and Cara our head off department.

Eight, plus two wounded, one still recovering in Three, and one gone for good.

That accounts for all the boys. I did not have enough information to know why the Giants were rounding us all up, but one of them had come unstuck. They could have just killed everyone, so their must be a reason their ambushing and taking prisoners. What the hell was I to do to now ?

CHAPTER FOUR

P ippa woke in a strange bed, very strange, The room had short ceilings, the bed felt strange like dry moss, and she was covered in soft fluffy material. But for that it seemed modern, the lighting was from softly glowing tubes and everything looked clean and Spartan, a being came into the room and looked at her for a long and steady moment, her throat itched and was dry, it was very difficult to make it out as the light was behind it, it whistled at her. It was clearly not human. It stepped further into the room, she felt herself, breath in, waiting for the creature to attack. It blinked and strode closer. She breathed slowly out, she remembered something like this, the boys filmed.

Salamanders, only this creature, in plastic blue, was obviously, advanced, and carried a small tray in short fingered hands. It was not very tall, and up close did not look so threatening, the eyes were hard to read, and the expressions if any where beyond her understanding. The blue person (it was easier) lifted a corner off the covering material and nodded, it then produced some pale cream which it showed her slowly. The creature did every movement slowly, Pippa looked down at her side, it was liberally coated with the white cream, and this was the source area for a dull ache, and soreness. She scrapped a little away to find a reddened area, she could see a burn from the colour and heat in the wound she thought it not to serious, whatever it was treated with, was however removing a lot off pain. She reached for the jar, the Blue, and now she realized, red blotched, um person, drew back a little. She mimed taking the pot and treating the burn.

The Person thing, showed a little more animation, bobbing its head quickly. It handed over the cream very gingerly and stepped back. Pippa noticed a shadow move through the narrow doorway, so their were others, maybe just observing. She treated her Burns, and very carefully and slowly sat up lifting the bedding material with her. She had clear memory’s off leaving the Giants outpost, the smoke from her Shifter, and then falling. Logic told her everything else. So she could shift out, but had no idea, how that might help her, and it might be much worse, at least here they were giving her medication, and she was in a clean warm space. She would play it by ear for now. She had a good idea, that she was not supposed to have survived, her shifter had obviously been tampered with, but not effectively, so maybe not official, but this was speculation. She mimed to her nurse drinking. The creature, who she begun to suspect was, naked, its skin naturally blue and red. The nurse left and came back with a shallow bowl. The liquid was clear but had a tang to it, something in it. She took a small sip, tasted fine. She woke up feeling a little unclear a bit foggy, medicated. Damn, some surgeon.

She was in a different room, it had a bed, a separate room with a hole in the floor, and a narrow door, the light was from, high narrow windows, when she felt a little more with it, she pulled the bed closer too the widows, standing on the frame with the weak blanket, about her she could see, a small enclosure, with a high metal fence, it bent in at the top, which would make it hard to climb over. They had left her a bowl of presumably water, and the cream. She approached the little door, it opened on springs, outside it was getting dark, but their was some artificial light, hung from wire strung from, pruned trees. Too her left their were several more enclosures some large some with pools of water, or platforms, the smell too gave her some clue, it did not take a genius, to realize she was in a Zoo. She was an exhibit. The decision was almost immediate, she grabbed the pot of cream, and shifted.

CHAPTER FIVE

I sat for a moment pondering, watching the light change over the pale, pale sea. I was feeling my age and the weight of loss, not just the dead young soldier, but all the soldiers I had known, who had not reached my age, many men I considered who had more right to be here, better men?

Oh hell with this, I had to get my kid back, my brothers, all of them if I could. I marched into the medical room resolved. The girl was sat slumped, staring into space.

All right." I said gently, she looked up, all worry and stress.

I cant do any more, In.

Its alright, Ill keep watch. I said interrupting". You need to head back, and let my wife know whats gone on here, and to get all, the shifters she can. Actually, tell her to get them together in a particular place, at a particular time, but I will want her too send a medic. I need, these guys awake and out off here.

I looked around found a pad and pen and wrote two short notes. This one is personal I said folding it twice, I handed them over to the girl, she had picked up a shifter and checked the charge. OK girly of you go." Pat. she said, they call me Pat. She looked around for a moment and then I saw her eyes focus, and she was gone.

It was a big risk I was taking but so far, they had everything going their way. So I think they know where my dimension is, and that there are more of us, so I had to set up an ambush, if it worked, I would at least have a beginning. Clio would not let me down. Her message was to get the shifter staff into the big labs ground floor canteen, and I would be their, with my own little surprises. Pippa should be back, we really needed her right know. If they come. I checked the lads, they seemed to be OK, but hell, what did I know. I went through to the canteen made some coffee, grabbed some sandwiches from a fridge, and went back to the med center. It was two hours before the young Indian nurse showed up, she looked worried, but grinned at me with perfect white teeth. She was all business in a few moments, and had the lads, mostly awake in fairly short order, they were in a lot of pain but that could not be helped. I had to get them to safety and the best care. I put a shifter over them, and sent them off, I indicted for the nurse to stay.

What have you been told." I asked.

She sat on a stall, and looked uncomfortable, she fidgeted.

I have been told we are in some trouble, some off our people have been kidnapped, and some clearly wounded. I want you and a few others to stay out of events. If things do not go well I will want a core of people who can shift, who can find and train others. I know its a lot to ask, but we are maybe all that can stop our dimensions from being attacked. You had better catch up to your patients.

Yes.’ she said nodding.

I don’t think she had really taken in what I had said, but it was said, and if none of us survived, well, just someone had to keep things active. It would just mean we were all dead. I don’t want to be dead, but I want a lot more for my son to live.

It took a little while to put our dead boy in the freezer, and bury the Giant in a shallow grave. It was like dragging a horse. I stripped of the outer uniform. I had a feeling their uniforms contained their comm’s and maybe much else. I bundled it up, with his pack, and shifted out. I went to P8 first and had a chat with Cloud Cover’s Pals. I had too pass the word around, the Giants were coming and some of them were not nice, be wary. I shifted back home, tired now, but with a lot to do. Clio was all over the place, glad to see me, but devastated I came back alone. I told her the bad news, but even the death of one of the boys could not stir a grief so deep. I had to sleep, but their was so much to do, I had a plan of sorts. Mostly instinct, they had most of us, and it had been easy, we had all but gathered to be taken.

At dawn I left for the Labs, I had called on Doug, and Bob. I explained this was volunteer only, that it could dangerous, maybe even lethal. They were old Green Jackets, they were brave as lions.

Besides, as Doug said." after a while here, you get the twilight willies and leave, or you accept theirs more to life than you want to know. Doug at sixty two was younger than me but seemed older particularly since his wife dead of cancer. I learned a good bit about the lives of these two old ex serviceman as we worked on a special treat for the Giants, I believed would come, come to finish the job, get the last of us.

Getting the lighting I wanted was not as easy as I thought, and how I wanted to use it, apparently not legal. But if you can promise a thick wad of cash for a good quick job, its amazing what you can get done. The sound rigging was easier, I had it linked on speakers and attached too a half dozen, pyrotechnics, and rape alarms. Well it was no game we were playing here. I added a little tear gas, and hoped that would be enough. Of coarse, I had more than whizzbangs. I brought in an old ex army four ton truck, we had two tons of sand bags, and a point five on a tripod, just in case it all went tits up.

I was so tired even Clio who was deeply worried about this coarse of action, she had me take some rest.

We had gathered those people like us, who had not been caught, on P8, or at R and R. They were mostly young scientific staff with, odd balls and weirdos thrown in, we had the weirdest on canteen jobs until we could find, the best way to teach them, and what they could do.(some of these had strange lives, because they saw things most people don’t) but you can still call them, spooky if you like. The rest were techs, very valued in the labs and learning in the field. I looked around the gathering, if anything was going to happen it was when we were all together. The last came in on time. It was obvious we had or were bing watched. But I had no idea how.

Those of you who have been mad enough to volunteer for this. I raised my voice over the dozen off us that were all that had remained.

I cant promise you a perfect outcome. I said.

At best were guessing they will come, at worse were in the dark. I hope we all come out of this well, on behalf of Clio and I thank you, crazy people.

No body laughed, it was too serious, I saw one or two forced smiles. Clio had against my biter complaint stayed in the canteen, there she would wait, with the last dozen volunteer shifters, the eight who had chosen not to take part we had sent far and wide. I walked through the main entrance, walked carefully over the big boardroom carpet, which was now soaked in vegetable oil, and resting on steel plate. I was only a few paces away from the old army truck when they appeared, in semi circle.

I had hopped for this but still, forgot to move for a second, their were maybe fifteen, they hit running, I lay down and literally rolled under the truck. They stormed past, same gear, three man teams, the bolt weapons, and that wire thing they use to suppress our aptitude to shift.

I rolled out the other side, from here I could see they had gone right into the canteen already. I hauled my old bones over the tailgate, Bob looked pale.

Big aren’t they he